The vanishing voters

<I>Variety</I> editorial

This is the morning when the nation’s pundits can be counted on to deplore voter apathy, the sorry state of democracy, etc.

As the journal of showbiz, Daily Variety would prefer to turn the criticism in the other direction. It’s the parties and politicians that have turned off the voters. The process desperately needs an infusion of pizzazz.

Why are so many races too close to call? Because the parties have failed to delineate their differences. There’s such a fear of dissent that everyone is grasping to hold onto that sacred middle ground. One Congressional race after another has played like a re-run of Bush vs. Gore. The only distinction between candidates has been that Republicans steadfastly talk about adhering to “Bush values,” whatever those are.

Hollywood understands better than anyone what happens when you put on a dull show: You blow your audience. That would seem like a reality politicians can grasp.